World Press Digest

May 31, 1935

The Jewish Tribune of Bombay, commenting on the decision of the Rangoon court that the Bene Israel ites in India are Jews, writes:

The case has been going on for about two years and litigation has involved considerable expenditure. It has a unique origin, unparalleled in the history of the Jews. The Bene Israelites had been enjoying for some time the right of franchise in the election of trustees of the synagogue. On the eve of fresh elections, the retiring trustees peremptorily removed the names of the Bene Israelites from the list of those who were entitled to vote on the grounds that they were not Jews. As a result, legal proceedings were instituted by certain Bene Israelites against the trustees who refused to recognize them as Jews and who took measures to deprive them of the privileges and amentiess enjoyed in the synagogue by other members of the Jewish community in Rangoon. The trustees lead evidence to show that the Bene Israelites could not be considered or classified as Jews, since they alleged that they did not observe certain Jewish lawsâ€”the laws of yibboom and halissa. The Bene Israelites made an equally strong case for themselves. It is interesting to note that evidence was given in their favor by a former trustee, A. J. Cohen, and J. E. Joshua, both of whom are unconnected with the Bene Israelites.

This was considered a test case of far-reaching value and was followed with very close interest by the Jewish communities all over India. It has been an important victory for the Bene Israelites who have been vindicated and can now claim to have a legal status as Jews.

MEMORIAL DAY AND JEWISH DEAD

The Jewish Veteran, in its editorial on Memorial Day, says:

Each post has an important duty to perform on Memorial Day. To give a thought to those of our buddies who gave their all and are no longer with us. Each post should have a list of Jewish veterans of their city who died during or since the war, and where they are buried. It is your duty to see that each grave is kept in good order, and that a marker decorates it. Especial care should be given each grave before Memorial Day and a new American flag placed thereon. On Memorial Day, appropriate services should be held at the cemetery. It is further fitting that special memorial services be held on a Friday evening or Saturday or Sunday morning at a temple or synagogue. At the temple and cemetery services, the families of all deceased veterans and other veteran organizations should be invited. Such is the least tribute we can pay to our depared comrades and their families.

HOMO NORDICUS TURNING FEEBLE?

The Economist of London, commenting on the expected new citizenship law in Germany, says:

The new law of citizenship is to divide German nationals into the two categories of citizens and subjects. Henceforth it is only the status of a subject that is to be acquired automatically by birth. Citizenship is to be a precious and hard-won privilege to be conferred by the State on condition of an oath of personal loyalty to the Fuehrer; and this status will be difficult, or even impossible, to acquire for those German subjects who are either Jews or non-German “Aryans” (e.g. Danes, Poles, Lithuanians) or German “Aryan” non-Nazis. In fact, the citizen of the German Reich will be a member of a dominant minority, like the party member in Russia and Italy. This is not democracy, and the Nazis would not wish it to be. But it is not racialism either. In future, race without grace will profit “Nordic” man nothing. It seems that Homo Nordicus is no longer quite the man he was!